Washington Nationals: Five biggest storylines for the 2018/19 offseason

The Big Bryce Decision

Hey, did you know that Bryce Harper is going to be a free agent this offseason? If not, then that’s actually pretty impressive. The Washington Nationals superstar finally hits the free agent market after years of speculation about this very moment.

At that time of his call-up, the Nationals were the butt of a lot of league jokes, as they hadn’t made the post-season in the seven seasons they had spent in the nation’s capital. It looked like when Harper hit free agency, the Nats had no chance.

But now as we’re set to conclude 2018, the Nationals chances of re-signing their superstar are increasing. In some respects, they may be the favorites to sign him given the way he’s talked about his second home.

Now, Mike Rizzo and the front office must decide how much they’re going to be prepared to offer him, and how long will they wait. This is why it’s the biggest storyline to follow for this team over the winter. No exceptions.

With the possibility of the large contract that Harper will inevitably command being on the books, it affects the rest of the team’s plans. If they land him, they’ll need to fix other needs like a starter and catcher via trade than a high-priced free agent.

But, with that in mind, they must also set some sort of a deadline on when they need to have him signed by. Then, if the process is dragging on, they won’t miss out on their main targets should he end up not signing.

It’s going to be a difficult balancing act for the team and Bryce Harper this winter. The whole of the baseball world will be watching the outcome.